THE FREE PRESS OCT 28. 2019 VOL. 51 ISSUE NO. 6
Power returns to Gorham after students told to go home Inside: Halloween-themed coloring pages - see pg. 2 Increased Student Activity Fees not received pg. 6 Anti-Racist Action Network discusses the University of Everyone pg.8 Theater Review: The Women Who Mapped the Stars pg. 12 Heart of Portland: Cookies With A Cause pg. 16 Faces of US: DJ Jon from Hot 104.7 pg. 18 Husky Hero of the Week: Lindsay Pych pg. 26
2 OCTOBER 21, 2019 | THE FREE PRESS
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Enjoy Halloween-themed coloring pages illustrated by USM artists! See pages: 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 24
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EDITORIAL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Alyson Peabody NEWS EDITOR Kate Rogers ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Max Lorber COMMUNITY EDITOR Zoe Bernardi SPORTS EDITOR Cullen McIntyre WEB EDITOR Lydia Libby STAFF WRITERS Ryan Farrell, Connor Blake, Jenasa Staples, Abby Nelson, Amelia Bodge, Troy Daly, Paige Riddell, Tyler Tripp COPY EDITORS Cooper John-Trapp EDITORIAL BOARD: Alyson Peabody, Dionne Smith, Cullen McIntyre, Zoe Bernardi, Lydia Libby, Kate Rogers, Max Lorber BUSINESS MANAGER Lucille Siegler
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Cover:
Dionne Smith / Director of Photography
Alyson Peabody Editor-in-Chief I want to ensure that all young people at the high school and collegiate level have an opportunity to explore journalism in a similar environment that is constructive not restrictive. With help from legal representatives and other Maine advocates for press freedom, I am working to push forward New Voices of Maine. My goal is to ensure that all young journalists at the high school and collegiate levels are legally protected so they can practice essential democratic values, leadership and ownership of their words in a safe environment. Since 1988, New Voices has emerged as a studentpowered nonpartisan grassroots movement of statebased activists who seek to protect student press freedom with state laws. They include advocates in law, education, journalism and civics who want schools and colleges to be more welcoming places for student voices. The United States Supreme Court ruled in 1988 during the Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier case that school administrators have the right to censor student journalists for “any reasonable pedagogical purpose.” This phrase is vague and can be applied to any article that may spark controversy in the administration or beyond. As of spring 2019, 14 states have passed New Voices to legally guaranteed press freedom for student journalists with codes protecting the rights of journalists in the District of Columbia and Pennsylvania. The Society of Professional Journalists stated that schools need to enact more
balanced policies, since “it is well-documented the Hazelwood censorship clause impedes an educator’s ability to adequately instruct and train students in professional journalistic values and practices.” California and Kansas have passed laws to protect student newspapers from being punished by means of firing the adviser, cutting the budget, replacing the editor or any other act of intimidation by an administration, as long as it can be linked back to the editorial content of the publication. There is an increasing need for covering local news as commercial news organizations cut staff and struggle with economic sustainability. Students are “embedded journalists” who can offer insight on how effectively schools are functioning internally. A 2009 Brookings Institution survey documents that just 1.4 percent of mainstream media is devoted to education news. If students are not free to disclose the shortcomings of their schools, the public is unlikely to find out. High school journalists are covering misconduct allegations at their institutions. Students have broken stories about an administrator who lied about their qualifications to get a job, a guidance counselor with multiple counts of unprofessional conduct and a teacher who was fired for allegedly sending inappropriate texts to a student. Research in 2014 by the University of Kansas documents that students who work in newsrooms that support press freedom report higher levels of civic effectiveness — the belief that they can use their voices to influence public
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New Voices of Maine policy. Liability is usually an excuse for content control. Hiring a competent publication adviser is the best protection a school can have regarding libel or misinformation. An advisor can teach students about their legal responsibilities and distance themselves from the content decisions made by student editors. New Voices does not outlaw the process of “prior review” by school employees. If advisers think it’s important to look over the paper for errors before it is published, they have the ability to do that. The law does not protect from typographical or factual errors that could cause “substantial disruption.” If the errors will really do any meaningful harm to the school’s ability to function, then the school retains full authority to fix them. New Voices explicitly protects the authority of schools to remove anything that is a libel risk. The best of the New Voices laws go even further and provide, by statute, that the speech of student journalists is not legally attributable to the school. One might ask, “why should students have the same rights as experienced professionals?” Answer: They don’t. New Voices legislation recognizes that schools are unique settings. School officials are charged with making sure that students have a place to learn and this legislation recognizes that the First Amendment rights of students in school are not the same as the rights of an individual outside of school. This legislation ensures the orderly operation of schools by allowing of-
ficials to restrict student speech that causes a material and substantial disruption of normal school activities. That standard comes straight out of a 1969 Supreme Court decision, Tinker v. Des Moines, where the Court sought to create a meaningful balance between the First Amendment rights of students and the responsibility of school officials to maintain an effective learning environment. New Voices has been endorsed by several national organizations including the American Bar Association, the Journalism Education Association, the Society of Professional Journalists and more. I’ve been working with advocates for press freedom since the beginning of June. Frank LoMonte, the Senior Legal Fellow for the Student Press Law Center, has been an invaluable resource during this process. Samantha Warren, Director of Governmental Relations for the University of Maine System, said the next non emergency legislative session begins December 2020. We all agreed that it is important to begin the conversation now before any legal action can happen. Ways to become involved in New Voices of Maine are to contact state senators and representatives to encourage them to support – and even co-sponsor – the New Voices Act. Encourage local media to do stories about the movement and to editorialize in favor of the bill or simply connect with New Voices of Maine on Facebook to keep up to date.
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4 OCTOBER 21, 2019 | THE FREE PRESS
Power returns to Gorham after students told to go home Efforts to ensure student comfort and safety cause stress for many residents Kate Rogers News Editor
After a storm left roughly 200,000 Mainers without power on Wednesday night, many are still without power or internet service. According to the Press Herald, on Friday there were still 32,707 outages for CMP customers alone. All of USM’s campuses were affected and classes were canceled on Thursday and Friday. The Gorham campus had limited power, and a decision was made by the emergency response team to close the campus. The power returned around 7 p.m, and campus re-opened at 9 the next morning. However, this came after many students commuted hours away or walked to their homes where many did not even have had power themselves. “This whole ordeal has caused me so much stress and anxiety that I’m honestly not at all relieved that the power is back on,” said Math and Music major Devyn Adams. One student, who requested to be anonymous for personal security reasons, booked a hotel out of pocket for Friday night. “The idea of sleeping on the floor and couches in Brooks made me and others I know really uncomfortable … some of us have past trauma that makes sleeping around others impossible.” he said. Other USM students on social media said
that they booked hotels as well. “In the past, SMCC had a similar situation … they paid for hotel rooms for the students. USM has a bigger budget than SMCC by far. Was that option even considered?” The anonymous student said. At 1:30 on Friday students were told to go home if they could in an email sent by Nancy Griffin, chief operations officer. The dorms were closed completely at 5 p.m., and all students had to have what they wanted to take with them and be out by that time. If students were unable to leave campus, they were instructed in the email to register as soon as possible to stay on campus where they would be housed in Brooks campus center. Food was offered by Sodexo to students with and without meal plans, according to Griffin. According to Tori Leonard, a Music Education major who lives on campus, roughly 20 students stayed in Brooks for the night. “We were all frustrated that we couldn’t go back to the dorms … although it was a bad situation, the staff was amazing about it … they all tried their best to make it a more comfortable situation for all of us,” Leonard said. According to the Residential Life facebook page, emergency shelter was offered to 80 students living on campus.
Dionne Smith / Director of Photography
Ayden Lamoureux and Ashlee Smith waiting for a ride off of campus with their luggage.
“For a lot of us, campus is home … we pay for the security that we will have a safe home and be able to take care of our basic needs. I’m distrustful that USM can continue to be a safe and reliable home for me,” said the anonymous student. Many students who lived close did go home, but it was a very stressful experience even if they did have power, according to Jordyn Waible, a Social and Behavioral Sciences major. Another resident, Makenzie Thompson, was 40 minutes away from campus when the email about the closing went out. After finding someone to take her 2 hours away to her home, she learned that the power was back. “I … had a breakdown, all of the stress from the school about the outage just really got to me,” Thompson said. She said that the ordeal made her feel “like we didn’t matter.” KB Dunham, a freshman in the honors program took two of her fellow students to her house, which required taking buses and then walking a mile. There was no power there, according to Dunham. “We slept in the cold … we are all pretty upset at how this has set us back in doing our homework for the next week and at how much money and time we’ve spent,” Dunham said. Griffin said in another email that the
decision to take students out of the dorms was for the students safety and comfort. “We asked students who could go home to go home so they would be safe and warm … we could not get heat into the residence halls and we had concerns regarding how long the batteries on the safety systems would last,” Griffin said. They had no idea how long the power would be out, according to David Rousseo, Interim Vice President for Student Affairs. The reason students were not let back into the dorms Friday night after the power came back was so that facilities could check the emergency systems according to Christina Lowery, Director of Residential Life. According to a comment from Residential Life on their Facebook page, there are plans in place for other incidents such as weather conditions in which students are unable to go home. “We also encourage students to think about their individual emergency plans as well so they have a good understanding before an emergency happens,” they said in the comment. Offices and services on the Portland and Lewiston campuses are all open, and events there were not canceled for the weekend. It is unclear how many students who went home have been able to easily return to the now open campus.
Dionne Smith / Director of Photography
Margaret Matte, prepared to stay in Brooks for the night.
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Portland police invest in bodycams More accountability for law enforcement demanded in this digital age Paige Riddell Staff Writer
A new addition to Maine’s largest police department has been in the works since 2017, and it affects every officer. As of April 2018, the Poland Police Department patrol officers, roughly 120 people, are now wearing body cameras as part of their everyday uniform. This program piloted in early 2017, starting with just eight officers and is now department-wide. The call for action developed from the police-involved fatal shooting of Chance David Baker, who was carrying a pellet gun on St. John Street in Portland. Baker died within two minutes and thirty seconds of officers being on the scene, and was killed by an officer with over fifteen years of experience. This incident made people rally behind
body-worn cameras for officers in Portland. Patrol officers already use cruiser cameras, and the body cameras are utilized in conjunction with those. But Seth Stoughton, a former Special Response Team officer, warns people not to view the cameras as a fix-all for police related problems. “What worries me about body cameras is the tendency that we have to assume that they will be a perfect tool to solve a large number of problems in a very holistic way,” Stoughton says. “And just like a hammer, body cameras are limited tools. They’re really good for some things, and they’re not going to be very good for some things.” Social problems such as police using deadly force when interacting with the public. According to the Washington
Post fatal force database, in the United States so far this year, seven hundred and thirteen people have died at the hands of police. Of those roughly ten percent of those deaths, the police officer was wearing some form of body camera. That list includes Kyle Needham, who was shot and killed by police in Gorham, Maine less than a five-minute walk from the USM campus. The cameras are a form of accountability and transparency for the officers who are now wearing them. Although Frank Clark, the newly instated police chief in Portland, states the cameras show the officers doing their jobs. “They’ve time and time again shown us that the officers are out there doing what they’re supposed to be doing,” Clark said. Although this program has little social
Matthew Swanick / Staff Photographer A Portland police car with a camera attached
resistance, it does not come without a hefty price tag. In 2017 the police submitted their initial 2019 budget to the city council requesting $400,000 to fund to purchase the equipment necessary this includes the data storage required for all the videos. Although students here at USM say this new measure doesn’t make them feel safer. According to USM student Tracy Stoner, the money would have been more useful to further professional development. “Ongoing professional training in communication, conflict management, and safe resolution tactics may have been a better investment. I don’t feel that body cameras make us safer, just hold the officer more accountable,” Stoner said. This new addition to the uniform does create concerns for personal privacy when interacting with Portland Police officers. According to the Portland Police Department standard operating procedure, the cameras go from passively recording, just visual no audio, to actively recording automatically. Once the officer turns on their emergency lights in their vehicle, the lock on their rifle rack, or if they are in an accident, the camera starts actively recording. There are special recording zones, this means the responding officer will only turn on the camera in circumstances deemed necessary. These special recording zones include schools, health care facilities, and constitutionally protected assemblies. The only time an officer will stop recording when dealing with the general public is if a victim of a crime requests that the recording to end after the scene is secured, according to the Portland Police Department standard operating procedure. Another time is when asked explicitly by a person who has a reasonable expectation of privacy, such as in their home, when there is no warrant. The recording captured on police cameras is kept for 210 days unless the district attorney’s office flags the flies for an ongoing investigation or needed for prosecution. One of the major concerns is that the records are available to the public through the Freedom of Access Act. Portland Police in the operating procedure states that this will be on a case by case basis, but will be released by the attorney’s office for a fee.
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Increased Student Activity Fees not received Administration error results in less money for student organizations Jenasa Staples Staff Writer
In the spring it was discussed, voted on, and approved by the Board of Trustees to increase student activity fees starting Fall 2019 but it did not happen. If you are a USM student, you are impacted by this error. Alex Holderith, Student Senate Chair, when asked who is impacted by the lack of fee increase for student activities says, “It’s every student who attends this University. Not only do students not get to enjoy the awesome list of immediate improvements, events, and activities we had planned, but we are also now delayed in rolling out almost all of our much bigger, long term initiatives. If you’re a student with a child, a student who can’t afford books, a student who wants to get involved on campus, a student who wants to see and experience Maine, or a student who just wants USM to be a better Uni-
versity, then this mistake directly affects you.” David Roussel, Interim Vice President for Student Affairs, says that the reason the student activity fee was not increased this fall is because of a lack of communication throughout the summer which resulted in the increase not being added to student bills. The error was then discovered by administration in August after bills were sent out. “We needed to enter the new fees into the system so they would be calculated correctly on student bills and that did not happen.” Roussel says that when the error was discovered administration notified student body government and took responsibility for the error. He emphasizes this error was in no way student leader’s fault. “The error was made by administration and was not made in any way, shape or form by our student leaders. They followed the process. It was an institutional error to not
have the fees put on the fall student semester.” Administration has made a commitment to implement the correct student activity fee for the 2020 spring semester. There are a couple reasons students wanted to increase activity funds. One reason is to support clubs and organizations as well as student government and senate initiatives. The other reason, Roussel explains, is that it has been over 10 years since the student activity fee has been increased and USM’s activity fee was one of the lowest in the system. Holderith backs Roussel’s statement saying, “Our fee was one of the lowest in the entire system and we saw the potential for dramatically enhancing the experience of students on campus.” Each individual student’s activity fee increase on their semester bill depends on how many credits they are taking. If you are a USM student enrolled in 1 to 5 credit hours, your student activity fee
payment will increase $42, if you are enrolled in 6 to 11 credit hours then your student activity payment will increase to $36, and if you are enrolled in 12 or more credits then you were student activity payment will increase $50. Holderith says, “What I would like to emphasize is that there is no finger pointing going on here. USM has been very up-front and honest with us about this mistake, and they have been very forthcoming in helping us understand and solve this problem. Everybody is upset that this mistake was made, but we are not interested in getting hung up on who’s to blame. The best way to see any issue resolved, whether it be in business or student government or politics, is for both involved parties to be reasonable and work together for the common good. That’s exactly what we’re trying to do.”
Where are your student fees going?
Why students have to pay fees for services they may not even use Abigail Nelson Staff Writer
College is not cheap. The cost of attending a public four-year university, like USM, averages around $10,000 and $25,000 a year according to Sarah Goldy-Brown and Student Debt Relief. There are several factors that go into these prices, such as the number of credit hours being earned, if the student is an in-state resident or not, and any financial aid they receive. Along with those factors, students pay fees that cover or reduce the cost of services provided by the school. The amount a student pays for fees can vary. USM policy states that these fees are mandatory for each student to pay, however, not every student will use all the services that these fees fund. At USM there are various fees that are included in the yearly bill on top of the tuition, which can be found on the USM website under student financial services. A few of these fees include a unified fee, student activity fee, student health fee,
and a transportation fee. These are fees applied to an undergraduate students bill, however there are different fees for certain programs and graduate students. They are all listed on the tuition and fees page where a brief description reads what services each cover. The transportation fee, for instance, is for students on the Portland/Gorham campuses only. It pays for parking privileges, emergency phones, parking lot and sidewalk maintenance, snow removal and other transportation related projects, like the busing between campuses. Students at the LAC have a separate fee that they pay for similar services. This fee’s price varies on the amount of credit hours being taken by a student and ranges from $55 to $110, according to the tuition and fees page on the USM website. Each semester, every student will pay this fee, whether they use these services or not. Another fee students have to pay but may not directly use all of its services is the student health fee. This is a broad fee that covers several different services and
events offered by the health and counseling services here at USM. Lisa Belanger, the director of health services at USM explained some examples of health and counseling services that include up to 12 counseling visits, food clinics, on campus activities and programming like panel presenters, and services at the ROCC. Although several students won’t use these exact services, they might be affected indirectly by the events or outreach programs hosted by the health and counseling services. Therefore, instead of students paying for only the services they use, all students pay a general fee to support the program according to Belanger. These are only two examples of the several fees that USM undergraduate students pay each year. Other schools in the state of Maine have similar fees to USM, like a basic unified fee that funds random expenses not covered by tuition or a student health fee. The prices for these fees vary depending on the school as well. USM charges both an under-
graduate in-state commuter student and an undergraduate out-of-state student living on campus taking 12 credit hours each the same amount of $582 in fees. An undergraduate student taking 12 credit hours at the University of Maine in Orono, for example, pays $1,219 in fees each year according to the University of Maine financial page. Every school is unique in its provision of services to its students. Where USM has two campuses it needs to charge a transportation fee whereas a smaller school may not. USM provides numerous health and counseling services and therefore may charge a higher fee than other schools, if those schools charge any at all. Whether students will directly benefit from the services these fees fund or not, it is important for students to understand what these fees are, what their money is going towards at the end of the day, and why they matter.
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Illustration courtesy of USM student artist Tristen Profenno
8 OCTOBER 21, 2019 | THE FREE PRESS
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Anti-Racist Action Network discusses the University of Everyone Students share areas of improvement to combat racial discrimination on campus Alyson Peabody Editor-in-Chief Lillian Lema Staff Writer
At an Oct 8 public forum sponsored by the Anti-Racist Action Network, members of the USM community came together to discuss how the University of Everyone could improve for students of color. The Anti-Racist Action Network made up of undergrads, grads and Ph.D candidates in various programs met in Luther Bonney on the Portland Campus. Twelve USM students attended, sharing their thoughts on how to make students of color feel more welcome on campus. All students in attendance and who are quoted have chosen to remain anonymous due to personal safety reasons. During the meeting, they listed thirteen areas for improvement: 1. After the flooding in Woodbury, the multicultural center was not prioritized or re-organized. This was the only safe space for students of color to congregate. 2. There is a lack of staffing in the multicultural center. 3. The wall that used to separate the multicultural center from the room next to it was torn down and never replaced. 4. The university has failed to create a safe place for people of color. 5. Students of color have given up leadership roles due to how marginalized and oppressed they feel at USM. 6. Course curriculum has a consistent colonial theme throughout USM disciplines. 7. There is failure to make a space for Native American students and to meet their needs. 8. Departments are failing their students by not teaching racial issues. 9. There is no evidence of repercussions for racial statements in the classroom or microaggression. 10. There is a lack of cultural sensitivity for incoming students in their required courses. 11. Students of color shouldn’t have to advocate for themselves or educate white people on racial matters. 12. Students do not feel support when reporting incidents to faculty and staff on racial matters 13. Students fear academic retaliation. If they stand up to a professor, they fear that they might jeopardize their grade. A student at the meeting said they feel
a lack of support at the University. They said many students of color “have given up with leadership positions… they’ve given up and just go to school and do their school work.” At this meeting, a social work student said that her senior classmates didn’t know what gentrification meant. According to the Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, gentrification is the process of repairing and rebuilding homes/businesses in a deteriorating area (such as an urban neighborhood) following an influx of middleclass or affluent people. This influx and
this goal, misconstruing it as an attack on white people,” Cummings wrote. “I sincerely hope that over the course of your time here, as we engage together in our common read and discuss these issues openly and honestly, you will all see our work to become anti-racist as not an attack at all. It is not about casting blame; it is about growing as individuals and manifesting it into action.” How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X Kendi is USM’s common read available in the campus libraries. Kendi wrote, “This book is ultimately about the basic struggle
“I sincerely hope that over the course of your time here, as we engage together in our common read and discuss these issues openly and honestly, you will all see our work to become anti-racist as not an attack at all.” transition often results in the displacement of earlier, usually poorer residents. A student of color in her class said, “no offense to those who don’t know what gentrification means, but we are seniors in social work. How do we not know what gentrification is?” The social work student said her department has failed her and her fellow classmates. Another student at the meeting told the group that when she was taking a music course, the professor discussed the rap group N.W.A. The teacher felt the need to say the N word, which left the student in complete shock and discomfort. The student claims that “nothing was done” on the matter. Another thing that was brought up in the meeting was that there is no system of accountability. Students felt that there is no place to report incidents that is clear and known. Students can file bias reports through the Student Diversity Center online. In President Cumming’s Monday Missive released Tuesday Oct 15, he said that the tenth goal regarding diversity is about “creating a more just, equitable and anti-racist society.” He went on to write that anonymous faxes and emails were received last week by faculty and staff with the repeated statement “It’s OK to be White.” “I realize some may feel threatened by
To understand if and how issues of equity and inclusion are integrated in each academic program, the Provost will be working in partnership with faculty to support curriculum reviews of every program. I expect that programs like Social Work and our Masters in Policy, Planning and Management can serve as models for other programs.
Commitment Three: We will invest in positions that focus on issues of equity and inclusion.
We are in the final stages of the search process for a Director of Intercultural Student Engagement, with the three finalists making campus visits this week. Based on a recommendation that came out of an IDAC retreat, we are also in the process of creating a leadership position focused on Diversity, Inclusion and Equity. The position profile is now be- President Glenn Cummings ing built in collaboration with IDAC and community stakeholders, and we anticiwe’re in, the struggle to be fully human, pate launching a search for this position and to see that others are fully human.” in January. President Cummings wrote in the Sept. Commitment Four: We will 30 Monday Missive, “My sincere thanks to those of you who responded to my com- increase investment in learnmunication last week outlining our initial ing, training and development. five university commitments with respect A number of initiatives are currently to our new goal 10 on Equity, Inclusion underway, including: continued grants and Justice… IDAC particularly will play for attendance at the Racial Equity Instia key role in its development. Already a tute; an expansion of the Academic Chair subcommittee of IDAC is preparing a Development series; Breaking Barriers: draft of Commitment 2 (curriculum re- Equity & Inclusivity in Advising Pracview) for discussion at our next meeting.” tices for our Academic Advisors; and for President Cummings sent an email to our search committees Strategizing the the USM community on September 27 Search/Safeguarding against Bias trainoutlining the commitments to the university’s tenth goal on equity and justice. His ing. outline is as follows: Commitment Five: We will
Commitment One: We will engage in a university-wide undertake a university-wide Common Read that focuses on Climate Survey. issues of equity and justice. After working with the Intercultural and Diversity Advisory Council (IDAC) to determine the scope of this work, we plan to put out a Request for Proposals (RFP) by the end of October to select an organization to conduct the Climate Survey. The survey will be conducted this academic year.
Commitment Two: We will undertake a full curriculum review.
For the first time in our history, USM will engage our community of faculty, staff and students in a Common Read, How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X Kendi President Cummings concluded the commitment points by thanking IDAC co-chair Samantha Frisk, interim Co-chair Provost Uzzi, members of IDAC and Reza Jalali, USM’s Special Advisor on Equity and Inclusion for their help. He thanked concerned community members for their input, as well.
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Illustration courtesy of USM student artist Olivia Dyer
Arts&Culture 10 OCTOBER 21, 2019 | THE FREE PRESS
Work-study employees assist art gallery exhibition Students gaining professional art installation experience
Max Lorber Arts and Culture Editor
Work-study employees Liz Trumbley and Donna Blackwell huddled together with a box of matches on the walkway leading to the USM Art Gallery in Gorham. They were lighting tiny candles and placing them into the glowing white paper bags that lined the path. As the evening darkened, the light from the candles began to radiate. The opening reception of Contemporary Responses to Modernism: A New England Perspective was held at the Art Gallery on October 10th. Trumbley, Blackwell, Olivia Dyer and several other USM students were integral to the installation of this art show. The exhibition presents a collection of paintings and sculptures created by established contemporary artists from New England who have been influenced by the modernist art movement. “I couldn’t do it without them,” said Carolyn Eyler, USM Art Gallery’s Director of Exhibitions and Programs, when referring to the work-study students who assist her with art exhibitions such as these. According to Eyler, her student employ-
ees assist with most tasks required to operate the Art Gallery, from artwork installation for exhibitions to embellishing the entrance of a reception with gleaming white paper bags. For this show, the paintings and sculptures were chosen by guest curator Joanna Fink, director of Alpha Gallery in Boston, and delivered to Eyler and her team. Then work-study students assisted Eyler in deciding how the show was to be arranged. “Usually we group the pieces and look at what artwork looks good together, to see what will go on the same wall,” Trumbley said while taking a break from making preparations for the opening reception. Olivia Dyer, another work-study employee who attended the reception, said, “The major thing I did was help hang the artwork.” Gyorgy Kepes’ non-figurative painting, with a vibrant yellow coloration passing over a series of shapes and fading into a metallic grey, hung next to an abstract piece by Gideon Bok of his own art studio. Two different styles and color palettes that were tactfully chosen to aesthetically complement each other. After deciding the arrangement of the
Exhibition at USM Art Gallery
exhibition, the work-study students hung the artwork and oversaw the delivery and installment of the sculptures. One of the final jobs for Trumbley and Blackwell was pasting a statement written about the exhibition by the curator to a wall that guards the entrance to the main gallery room.
Logan Hughes / Staff Photographer
for the exhibition. The coat of paint on the sculpture was changed from black to brown by the work-study students so that the coloring of the piece did not clash the white surroundings, according to Blackwell. When asked if her work-study position was an important aspect to her education,
“I couldn’t do it without them.”
- Carolyn Eyler
USM Art Gallery’s Director of Exhibitions and Programs
Dionne Smith / Director of Photographery Donna Blackwell (left) and Liz Trumbley (right) at USM Art Gallery reception
Trumbley and Blackwell said the bronze sculpture by Jim Ritchie, titled “Figure Turning Right”, was the most challenging piece of artwork to install. Upon delivery, it was set into a heavy concrete base. Eyler and her work-study team had to remove this sculpture from the concrete and set it up on a pedestal so that it was presentable
Blackwell said, “It’s like an internship. You’re working and learning skills, while also making money.” The Art Gallery on USM’s Gorham campus is displaying Contemporary Responses to Modernism: A New England Perspective until December 8th.
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Illustration courtesy of USM student artist Tristen Profenno
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Arts & Culture
Theater Review: The Women Who Mapped the Stars
Cody Alexander Curtis Staff Writer
“I, as a young actor, got cast with a lot of
The University of Southern Maine’s theater department continues telling powerful and inspirational stories with “The Women Who Mapped the Stars”. This production is directed by Sara Valentine, written by Joyce Van Dyke and Starring Campbell Gibson, Halsey Redman, Jackie Condon, Alyssa Pearl-Ross and Meg Mayfield. While the production was a step back from the University’s previous production “Fortune”, it nevertheless accomplished the goal of providing a story about some of history’s most important women. These same women not only paved the way for today’s professional astronomers, but also anybody wishing to study the stars and planets in this modern age. Cecilia Payne (Gibson) is a bright and hopeful Cambridge student. Her only dream is to create a theory that will change the course of history and bring more knowledge to the world. Her best hope of accomplishing this daunting task is to look at the women that came before her. These women were Williamina Fleming (Condon), Henrietta Leavitt (Redman), Antonia Maury ( Pearl-Ross) and Annie Jump Cannon (Mayfield). They all worked diligently with little pay, under the walls of Harvard, and provided Payne with the research and fiery dedication for her own work. Behind every great man is a great woman and this play certainly embodies that phrase. Praise has to be given to the production crew behind the curtain. From a technical standpoint “The Women Who Mapped the Stars” is flawless. The music cues, scenery and every prop used were breathtaking. The set is built to look and feel as if the audience itself is with these women inside the Harvard planetarium. The back wall is used as a projector for equations, stars and a view of our galaxy. This may have annoyed other spectators, but for myself it made the experience all the more engrossing. The performances by Gibson as Cecilia Payne and Redman as Henrietta Leavitt demonstrate a potential for greatness. Both women showed a certain innocence and honesty. Gibson’s energy in particular was infectious, and made the audience curious how the story would progress. “I became interested in the script when I had the chance to read it last spring,” Redman said, “I, as a young actor, got cast with a lot of men in my high school productions, so I thought a cast of all women would challenge me in a way
men in my high school productions, so I thought a cast of all women would challenge me in a way I hadn’t been before.” I hadn’t been before.” The story of “The Women Who Mapped the Stars” is something not many people know about. Very much like Alan Turing before them, these women suffered in silence and it is only recently that their work has been awarded and recognized for how important it is. In the world of remakes, reboots and adaptations, it can be difficult to find original work from
-Halsey Redman, actress in “The Women Who Mapped the Stars” inspired playwrights and screenwriters. Joyce Van Dyke is a brilliant playwright and has provided the world with an inspired work. While the production crew created magic on stage, Van Dyke wrote a beautiful piece of storytelling and although Gibson and Redman wonderfully carried that story, the same cannot be said for the rest of the show. Besides Gibson
and Redman, there is not a memorable performance executed by the rest of the cast. This is a shame, considering this story is about women society should care about and cheer for. For a story involving women so deeply passionate about the sciences they discuss, there was little passion in the voices of the other three women on stage. “The Women Who Mapped the Stars” has one powerful thing going for it. This show creates excitement for USM’s next theatrical production: “The Love of The Nightingale” (Nov. 15-24) and the student run production “Of Mice and Men” (Oct. 25-27). While there were some major flaws in this show, there were slightly more positives. In some ways this show reflects who people truly are. Not every show will be perfect, just like not every person will be perfect, but it is up to the audience to decide if these things bother them and whether they are willing to give that person or theater company a second chance.
Logan Hughes / Staff Photographer “The Women Who Mapped The Stars” theater production at Russell Hall, Gorham
Arts & Culture
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Illustration courtesy of USM student artist Lace Scott
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Arts & Culture
Artist of the Week: Olivia Dyer
Student discovers passion for painting and illustration
our National Art Honor Society, we had to choose a refinish old furniture with our own famous works. I decided to pick Olivia Dyer has always liked to paint, “The Jungle” with floral life and entaneven when she was little. Growing up, art gled plants. I enjoyed creating this piece was always with her. Her mother went to because I love vibrant colors and the freeschool for illustration and is even currently studying to become an art teacher. Olivia knows that her passion is art and that it will always be a part of her. Olivia is a freshman at USM, but last year she took an AP Drawing class that helped shape her to be the artist that she is now. It was her most intense art class to date because the goal was to create an art piece a week. It challenged her to do different styles of art, even though they were not her favorite. For the twelve weeks of class, she completed one painting a week that were focused on a single theme, which was difficult for her. One painting resembled Henri Rousseau’s “The Jungle” piece. “In India Evans Staff Writer
flowing nature of flowers.” This class helped her grow as an artist and as a person. “The AP art class developed my confidence as an artist and I discovered that painting flowers was a strength where I can incorporate in all my
“These natural subjects that I choose to focus my artwork on lend themselves into more experimental works that I use color to convey the emotions of what I’m seeing. ”
Olivia Dyer displaying her work
Berkeley Elias/ Staff Photographer
- Olivia Dyer USM ‘23
paintings.” For many of her other paintings, she draws inspiration from “Camp on Eagle Lake,” one of her favorite art pieces. “From the flowers that grow on the bank by the lake to the leaves that fall from the trees, these natural subjects that I choose to focus my artwork on lend themselves into more experimental works that I use color to convey the emotions of what I’m seeing. I further explored the experimental, less structured side of art in my AP concentration of florals and color splashes that were centered around the idea of growth.” Olivia uses flowers in her art because it can relate to real life. “Flowers start by being confined beneath the soil but then they overcome and they burst through and climb to their most beautiful form. People are like flowers. We all overcome struggles in our lives and we are beautiful for it.”
Arts & Culture
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Illustration courtesy of USM student artist Elizabeth Darragh
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Arts & Culture
Heart of Portland: Cookies With A Cause Local Baker Donates to Immigrant Community
Tyler Tripp Staff Writer
“Portland is a little city, but it certainly packs a punch”, Katherine Slevin said with a smile. The same could be said about Slevin and her small business startup, The C. Love Cookie Project. The C. Love Cookie Project is a Portland, Maine-based company that was incorporated in 2017 with the goal of providing aid to the immigrant community that now calls Portlandhome. It donates 21 percent of its sales to three local charities in three different stages, according to Slevin. In 2018, her cookies began popping up all over Portland. Slevin is a classically trained pastry chef who has worked all over the world, as well as Portland. “I have had extensive baking and pastry training throughout my entire career. I have worked in incredible kitchens and under some amazing chefs, like Standard Baking Co.” However,, Slevin put her life on hold in 2016 to pursue a cause that was bigger than herself. She moved to the island of Lesvos to volunteer at the Moria refugee camp during the Syrian refugee crisis to help displaced people start a new life in a foreign country. “I was like, I need to go. It was very, very crowded, with thousands of refugees coming to Moria. It was extremely difficult.” According to Slevin, she was tasked with clothing distribution for the entire camp, and quickly became one of the lead volunteers, meeting with representatives of humanitarian aid organizations and the Greek government
frequently. “There were only a couple hundred volunteers to literally thousands of refugees. I would come home at the end of the day feeling discouraged that I didn’t help enough people. It changed my life and the trajectory of it.” When Slevin came back after months of volunteer work in Greece, she decided that she would do what she could to help people struggling and suffering in her own community. “Having had that experience in Greece, I knew that I had to do something to help in a more organized way than just donating money to immigrants and internationals.” Slevin realized that she could use her skill set to bring people together through one common bond…cookies. “I’m a simple person, and cookies are approachable,” she said “Every culture has their own type of cookie and they cross cultural boundaries; they cross age boundaries. My almost 80-year-old father loves them just as my 3-year-old niece loves them.” Slevin would not stop at just making cookies and selling them to the community. She decided to bring the community into her kitchen by instructing baking and pastry classes. “The goal is to make people feel welcome. Kitchens are such a welcoming space,” she said. “When you are at a gathering at someone’s house, everyone always seems to be hanging out in and around the kitchen whether there is a beautiful dining room or living room. That idea, with people coming from all over the world, especially many Nora Devin / Staff Photographer Katherine Slevin, founder C.Love Cookie Project
C. Love cookie
women, that is their comfortable place. I want that to be the feel; make people feel welcome no matter what, where they come from, whether or not they speak English or not…that’s it.” Slevin brings a variety of different cookies to the table and is not shy about the rich ingredients that she uses in her product line. “I’m obsessed with butter,” chuckled Slevin. “People who don’t even know me come up to me and say ‘someday your gravestone will say, this woman loves butter’.” She paused. “Yeah I want that.” Her trademark cookie is the classic chocolate chip, but her flavors also include a line of “Dude” cookies, inspired by snickerdoodles. “I get bored with cinnamon, so I decided to come up with a line of some of my favorite flavors like Coffee, Lavender, Nutmeg, and Vanilla,” said Slevin. Slevin is most proud of her “Dope” cookie. It is an homage to a list of positive affirmations and reflections that she wrote in a journal while in Greece, which Slevin refers to as “The Dope and Nope List”. Also keep an eye out for her new Summit cookie with dark chocolate and dried cherries. Slevin said she has high hopes for her business’ mission, and faith in the consumers who purchase her cookies regularly. “As long as a business is honest about their cause, Nora Devin / Staff Photographer I think it is a really important movement and shows that people in our generation actually do [care],” said Slevin.
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Arts & Culture
A&C Listings
Joker
Monday, October 21 11AM-1PM
A new take on the clown prince of crime Ryan Farrell Staff Writer For the first time, DC releases a film solely focused on the infamous comic book villain Joker, directed by Todd Philips. Although the film’s content has stirred controversy regarding its subject matter, it has been met with critical and financial success nonetheless. Joaquin Phoenix’s dominating performance is disturbingly profound and portrays the iconic character in a unique light. Joker portrays an origin story that is independent from its comic counterpart. Gotham City in the 1980’s is riddled with poverty, protest and crime. Aspiring comedian Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) is a broken man that struggles both mentally and financially. These hardships have caused most of society to reject him. After a lengthy downward spiral of crime and betrayal, his villainous alter ego is born. Phoenix’s talents allow him to disappear into the role. A particularly powerful aspect of his performance is his ability to express multiple emotions at once. A trait of the character is that a previous brain injury causes Fleck to laugh uncontrollably when he’s nervous, landing him in a variety of situations. It’s incredibly unique to see an actor portray multiple emotions, especially when trying to mirror a mental disability. The Joker is further explored through a variety of dark transformations, which underscore Phoenix’s range as an actor. Phoenix’s portrayal of the Joker is incredibly different from past cinematic interpretations. Since the villain stems from the Batman comics, the storylines usually focus on the two facing off. However, it’s difficult to picture Phoenix in that position since he can barely complete everyday tasks. Because he starts in this state, it makes his overall transformation more impactful. Another memorable performance came from Robert DeNiro as television celebrity Murray Franklin. Similarly to Phoenix, DeNiro also disappears into his character. Franklin hosts a late night comedy show and functions as Arthur Fleck’s central inspiration. Although DeNiro’s role is only briefly featured, it’s unique to see this actor take on such a part. The story itself is placed in a meek version of Gotham City; its politics are scattered throughout the film and are directly linked to the main character. The most prevalent social issue is the divide between the rich and the poor; the rich enjoy luxuries while the poor are left to fend for themselves. Public workers are on strike, which causes the city to deteriorate. Joker places Fleck in immense poverty, subjecting him to the worst of what society has to offer. Todd Philips’ direction allowed the film to take many
THE FREE PRESS | OCTOBER 21, 2019 17
Rock Painting with the ROCC Outside Community Gardens University of Southern Maine Portland Campus
Tuesday, October 22 3PM-6PM Wednesday, October 23 11AM-2PM
Laurie Rogers Vocal Workshop Corthell Concert Hall Gorham Campus University of Southern Maine Free, open to the public
Wednesday, October 23 7PM-9PM
Lecture: Two Maine Artists will each talk about their work, Richard Reitz Smith and Karin Spitfire Glickman Family Library University Events Room, 7th Floor University of Southern Maine Portland Campus Free, open to the public
Thursday, October 24 5PM-7:30PM
Courtousy of IMBD.com
creative liberties. For example, Joker uses a dark ambient score and features a soundtrack with famous singers such as Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra. Their songs are mainly used to express juxtaposition and insanity and it’s incredibly effective. This specific choice constantly reminds the viewer that the story is grounded in the past. Another unique detail that differentiates Joker from the superhero genre is that the scale of the story is small. In general, superhero films usually center around a world altering event; the scale of the event reflects the genre’s extravagant nature. The story in Joker is grounded in Gotham City and although the city experiences chaos, it never reaches a catastrophic level. The character study of Fleck is the film’s focus so it doesn’t use grand events to distract the viewer. Joker is currently showing in theatres.
Ervin Staub: Libra Scholar Talk and Film Event Cohen Center Osher Map Library University of Southern Maine Portland Campus Free, open to the public
Friday, October 25 12PM-1PM
Lunchtime Gallery Tour of “Mapping the Classroom” Osher Map Library & Smith Center for Cartographic Education Glickman Family Library University of Southern Maine Portland Campus Free, open to the public
Want to submit an event? arts@usmfreepress.org
USM Community Page 18 OCTOBER 21, 2019 | THE FREE PRESS
Faces of US: DJ Jon from Hot 104.7 DJ from local hip hop station gets into the K-pop scene Lillian Lema Staff Writer
in 2001, created 80’s Night at Bubba’s about 15 years ago, was the music director at WRED from 2001 to 2009, worked at The Studio Portland, helped master and mix the New Boyz debut album. Nowadays, Jon is one of the DJs at southern Maine’s local hip hop station, Hot 104.7.
The k-pop scene, a genre of music that originates from South Korea, is on the rise and Hot 104.7’s DJ Jon has been riding the wave. This music genre consists of a mixture of pop, rock, hip hop, R&B, and electronic sounds. USM alumnus DJ Jon has been trying to “I learned a lot about create a community for people who like k-pop communicating well with in Maine through his social media accounts, K-PopMaine, and dance events, K-Pop Dance others verbally and also Party. “I see the potential in k-pop to be a huge about media production thing here in Maine” Jon said. During his time at USM, Jon learned the at WMPG and the media basics of how a radio station operates technistudies facility, which cally through WMPG. As a communication major, he was able to take some of the lessons was a new thing then.” he learned and apply them to his career. “I - DJ Jon learned a lot about communicating well with others verbally and also about media production at WMPG and the media studies facility, Dionne Smith / Director of Photography When introduced to k-pop, Jon was hooked which was a new thing then” Jon said. While in Portland, Jon has had the pleasure by the sound and dancing. He describes his DJ Jon on-air at Maine hip hop station, Hot 104.7 of being a DJ almost everywhere in the Old introduction to k-pop “like finding a ton of Port. He used to DJ at Zootz, before it closed music albums that he loves, but hadn’t heard of yet… the music is that good, if not better,” put it online and it got a modest amount of lisGrowing up, Jon was fascinated with hip tens,” Jon said. “I started to build on that and hop and listened to Big Daddy Kane, Rakim, then I created another one and now I’m up to EPMD, Run DMC, etc. In regards to k-pop, my 18th mixtape.” he sees similarities in the beats of these two Intrigued with the k-pop scene and its influgenres. “I was more drawn to the hip hop and ences of old school hip hop and R&B, DJ Jon R&B sound of k-pop,” said Jon. “The music knew he had to create a place for fans to enjoy is derivative from hip hop... the musicality the music. This past April, Jon hosted and DJ sounds like the hip hop and r&b that I grew up the first ever K-Pop Dance Party at Empire. “I listening to in the 80’s and 90’s… whoever is was able to get 100 people to show up… they producing k-pop is listening to the same stuff I were dancing and cheering… they were lovwas listening to… a bunch of these producers ing it,” Jon said. are influenced by a lot of Teddy Riley, a lot of In the summer the dance party moved to Baby Face and a lot of classic R&B, which is the Portland House of Music and took place all of the stuff I love,” Jon said. every other Tuesday. Jon played his mixtapes “They figured a different thing out with hip and even had a local dance crew, Krush Dance hop… they are using the instrumentation of Krew, perform. hip hop, which is hard core, and using cutesy Although summer is over and so is the singing,” Jon explains. “They are using that K-Pop Dance Party at PHOM, it still hasn’t juxtaposition…that contrast of something in- stopped Jon from creating more mixtapes for nocent and cutesy, but then accompanying it fans. Currently, Jon is working on his 19th kwith a beat that’s hard core.” pop mix-tape. “K-pop is like a breath of fresh Back in March, Jon created his first k-pop air in the ominous times we live in,” Jon said. mixtape, which he shared with friends and For more information on K-popMaine and Dionne Smith / Director of Photography online at Kpopmaine.com. “I started the first DJ Jon’s mixtapes go to Kpopmaine.com or mixtape and played it for people and they go to any social media platform @kpopmaine. DJ Jon hard at work mixing using VoxPro software and control panel were like ‘this is really awesome’ and then I
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Frankie Moon releases third album Local band and student professionally produce album Zoe Bernardi Community Editor Micheal Spaulding, also known as the musician Frankie Moon recently released his third album with his band the Dave Mathewses Band. Their album, “The Dark Side of Frankie Moon,” is unlike any of his previous work. It was professional created, mixed and mastered. Spaulding held a release party at Sun Tiki studios in Portland the day after the album released, on September 28, 2019. Spaulding is a theater major at USM with a concentration in technical and design. He is currently finishing up his last semester and hopes to graduate in May. Frankie Moon and Dave Mathewses Band is made up of four people: a singer, drums, bass and guitar. Spaulding is the singer. Todd Casper is on drums. Casper and Spaulding met through the guitar player Stanley Beck when Spaulding worked with Casper’s and Beck’s band “Adulting.” The bassist and and harmony is Dominic Fazio, who is a hometown friend of Spaulding from Madison, ME. The band has been playing at Sun Tiki studios since it opened over 2 year ago. Spaulding is good friends with the owner and wanted to have the release party there. He liked how intimate the stage was to the audience. “I couldn’t see myself playing anywhere else where I was further away from the people,” he said. The band released the album the day before the party. “I wanted to have people hear the music before the show,” Spaulding said. When explaining the writing process for the album, Spaulding said that it took 5 years to write and finish this album. Track 15 (out of 17 songs) was written during his senior year of high school. This album is also Spaulding first that he has done all by himself and produced at a professional recording studio. The first two albums were made without help in previous years. His first album is called “College Debt,” this can be found on Bandcamp exclusively, and has 11 songs. The second is called “Songs about Space” and can be found everywhere online, and was made a year after “College Debt.” This album was recorded in Acadia recording in Portland with help from Todd Hutchison, and was also mixed and mastered. Spaulding explained that when music is mixed it means that each song has
Zoe Bernardi / Community Editor Frankie Moon & Dave Mathewses Band playing their album release party at Sun Tiki Studios
fixed volumes and all parts of the song, all of the lyrics and instruments are even in volume and sound uniform. This is needed because naturally the bass is louder than the vocals. When it comes to mastering, Spaulding said fine tuning an album after mixing it is “the icing on the cake.” This entire process of recording took 3 months. It took 6 months to perfect all lyrics and instruments, then five days in the studio. Mixing took two days and mastering was a couple more. The album has a total of 17 songs. Originally, he wanted 23 songs and for it to be a mix of both electric and acoustic songs. Spaulding “wanted it to be like a big story book.” Spaulding said that the whole process wasn’t difficult, and that Hutchi-
“I play how I feel, I am always thinking about lyrics and chords and playing guitar.”
- Michael Spaulding
son was good at making the music sound has good as it could be, “have a team that wants to make a good album and it just sort of happened” Majority of the songs on the album are created by Spaulding. “I play how I feel, I am always thinking about lyrics and chords and playing guitar,” he said. He prefers to make music alone, finding chords that resonated with him and try to work around it and finding other pieces. The release party was a way to connect the band with fellow friends, family and other local artists. Sun Tiki was an intimate place to do so. Over 50 people were in attendance bonding over the newest Frankie Moon and the Dave Matthews Band album, “The Dark side of Frankie Moon.”
THE FREE PRESS | OCTOBER 21, 2019 21
Senior film festival: Sh*t in the Dirt Steven Bennett aims to showcase originality in film Zoe Bernardi Community Editor
■■ Monday, October 21 8PM
Open Registration for Winter Session Begins
An upcoming film festival for those who have little to no budget and made with friends. Sh*t in the Dirt (SITD) is an upcoming festival made by USM students that will occur on December 13 2019 in Portland. The founder of the event is Stephen Bennett, a senior media studies major from Cape Elizabeth. This project is his senior capstone. Bennett explains the event as “a film festival looking to exhibit the joy of do-it-yourself filmmaking, while also celebrating the beauty of imperfections that come out of low-to-no budget films.” Bennett spoke on his role in the process and the goals of the project. “I’m making sure the wheels don’t fall off the bus … fostering a community where mistakes in creativity are allowed and welcomed rather than shunned away.” He shares that “Hollywood went through a renaissance era starting in the mid 60s when the gatekeepers were removed, and anything could go, and while I don’t think Shit in the Dirt will do exactly that in its first year, I hope it inspires people to keep making work and to not fret over our own perceived inadequacies.” SITD is needed for a more independently driven and run film festival according to Bennett. A place different than the world of professional film, or “film
■■ Tuesday, October 22 5:30PM - 8PM
Advocating for Reading Instruction That REALLY Works for All Glickman Family Library 7th Floor Reading Room USM Portland Campus Free
■■ Friday, October 25 10:30AM - 3:30PM
Symposium: Active Bystanding and Inclusive and Equitable Communities Glickman Family Library 7th Floor University Events Room USM Portland Campus Free
■■ Saturday, October 26 7PM - 8:30PM
Photo courtesy of Stephen Bennett
“[...] a film festival looking to exhibit the joy of do-it-yourself filmmaking, while also celebrating the beauty of imperfections that come out of low-tono budget films.” - Stephen Bennett Founder & Executive Producer of Sh*t in the Dirt Film Festival snobs” according to the SITD website. “I think we need people to stop trying to be like everyone else.” Bennett also said that he is “most excited for the night where we can show a bunch of wild films and hopefully pack the Apohadion Theater to maximum capacity. This is our first year, so mistakes will arise, but in the years to come, I want this festival to grow into its own entity.” Another person on the SITD team is Cody Alexander Curtis, also a media studies major from Maine. Curtis explains that “Shit in The Dirt Film Festi-
Community Events
val is a great opportunity, not just for low to no budget filmmakers, but also a big and positive change in the community.” He also shares Bennett’s excitement about the project, saying that SITD is important because it allows more creativity and less perfection, less stress on the film maker to have a certain type of film. “We as the administrative team behind this festival believe more voices need to be heard and more storytellers deserve to be recognized, even if they do not have the budget the professionals do,” Curtis said. Throughout the process of getting the
festival started, Curtis has mainly focused on setting up meetings, and is in charge of sponsorship and outreach management and when the festival officially begins. He is working alongside USM Senior Steven Johnson to run the Q&A section with some of the filmmakers. Curtis ended by stating, “This film festival is an opportunity that does not come every day and I am grateful to be part of something that will bring about a great change in the community. He is very excited for the chance to change future filmmaking and allowing more people to share their stories.
THE GHOST HOUR Southworth Planetarium Science Building USM Portland Campus Admission by donation
■■ Sunday, October 27 6:30PM - 9PM
Michael Twitty discusses Kosher/ Soul Hannaford Hall Ambromson Center USM Portland Campus Free for USM students
Want us to include your event? community@usmfreepress.org
Perspectives 22 OCTOBER 21, 2019 | THE FREE PRESS
Letter to the Editor: Not lost to history
Eddie L. Beard USM Psychology Student
As one of the leaders against the merger between the University of Maine at Portland and Gorham State Teachers College, I saw in dismay that you think the merger happened in 1978. The actual merger occurred at the beginning of the 1971-1972 school year. And it was not between Portland University and Gorham Academy. It was between UMP and GSTC. The only
thing that changed in 1978 was a name change to the University of Southern Maine. We spent the previous year before the merger speaking at the University of Maine Board of Trustee meetings trying to stop the merger. Many faculty and students alike on both campuses did not want to see a teacher’s college integrated with a university but the merger went through despite our efforts. As a student senator and as founder and
editor-in-chief of the UMP Viking, UMPG Viking, and once we took over the entire student newspaper world on both campuses we became the UMPG Viking- Observer. The next year the Free Press was born. Online copies of most of the issues of the Viking are available on the Glickman Library website. Tuition at Gorham when I matriculated at UMP in 1968 was fifty dollars a semester and at UMP it was two hundred dollars a semester. Luckily with the GI Bill I was
able to afford to go to school here. Most of our meetings with the Trustees were over trying to prevent tuition hikes so future poor kids could afford to go to this University. I am currently taking a couple of courses here to complete my Bachelor of Arts requirements after being absent for over half a century. I only write this because those who were involved in the real merger should not be lost to history.
professor during office hours. After you have conducted your analysis, determine what action you need to take to improve your performance on your next exam. Was your exam grade an accurate reflection of your knowledge and the time you spent preparing? What can you do to improve your learning experience before your next exam? Consider the following:
spot. Manage your learning environment to improve attention, reduce distractions, and be as productive as possible. How did you prepare? Now is a great time to explore different strategies to become an effective learner, using AGILE strategies to increase your memory and performance. Have you tried connecting concepts using flashcards or creating a mindmap? Have you created your Personal Learning Network at USM? As we discussed in Week 4, a well-designed Personal Learning Network can improve your learning experience, generate knowledge, sharpen understanding, and build memory, all more efficiently and effectively than learning alone. Seek opportunities to meet with faculty, create a study group with your peers, and/or schedule an appointment to meet with a tutor at the Learning Commons. If your professor does not return exams, consider making an appointment to discuss your exam in person during office hours. Remember this is an opportunity to improve future performance and discover more about your own learning process. Visit usm.maine. edu/agile for additional strategies, printable resources and a schedule of upcoming workshops. Check out our Learning Commons Facebook page for the winner of our most recent poll. Stay tuned for our next poll coming soon for a chance to win AGILE swag!
The Importance of Post Exam Review
Cristina Kerluke Learning Commons Academic Support Program Specialist When you receive a graded exam back from your professor, what do you do with it? Many students spend a considerable amount of time preparing for exams, but often do not take time to reflect on exam information, giving no further thought to the exam other than the grade received. Critically reviewing an exam can yield useful information to help you grow and develop as an independent learner. Analyzing returned exams can help you understand why you made errors, so that you can adjust your approach the next time you are assessed. If your goal is to improve your performance, you will need to review the evaluation carefully, not just for content (the right answers), but more importantly, for what was not effective about your preparation. Developing an appreciation for the fact that you lost points as the result of how, what, and when you studied, all elements within your control, will suggest the changes necessary to produce improved results on your next evaluation.
few missing points. 2. Know what questions you missed and WHY you got them wrong. The reason you missed the question is extremely important. Was it a careless mistake, did you not understand the question or did you not know enough to answer it correctly? 3. Study the instructor’s comments (especially for essay questions) so that you will know what is expected for next time. If you don’t understand comments, ask your instructor for clarification. 4. Learn what types of questions that the instructor likes to use. You will likely see similar types on future assessments. 5. Learn the source of the questions you missed. Did the information come from the text, lecture or both? 6. Correct your mistakes to better understand concepts, as related material will likely appear on a later exam and/or the final. 7. Review exam content as a form of retrieval practice, relating concepts to what you are currently learning in class. 8. Reflect on when and how you prepared 8 Steps To Reviewing A for the exam. What strategies did you use? Some professors will take time to do an Returned Exam 1. Check the point total to make sure it is “exam debrief” in class. You can also do this right. You never know, you may even find a with peers from class, or ask to meet with the
Are you Attending Class With Purpose?
Showing up is only one step (though clearly an important one!) of the process. Learning requires action. Are you paying full attention, completing assigned readings and taking effective notes? When did you begin preparing for the exam? Although it is tempting to wait until the night before an exam to begin your studying, don’t do it! Cramming four chapters of information into one evening of study time does not make for an effective study session. Spaced practice, as discussed in last week’s article, is an effective “multiple-swipe” approach that helps build memory and understanding. Try to find multiple shorter times throughout your week to practice. Where did you prepare? If your study location is not a space where you can maximize your productivity, then consider trying a new
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THE FREE PRESS | OCTOBER 21, 2019 23
USM Health and Counseling Services staff see many students who complain of “winter blues” or “winter depression”. This is also known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.). S.A.D. is a pattern of mood changes, occurring at the same time each year; it usually begins in the late fall ( now) to early winter months and ends in the Spring. S. A. D. occurs more frequently in northern latitudes, and it is thought that it develops as a response to the lack of natural light. UHCS often recommends light therapy for students and staff. Typical Symptoms of S.A.D.: symptoms vary from person to person but often include increase in sadness, higher irritability, increased anxiety, eating more and craving carbohydrates, an increase in weight, sleeping more but waking tired, lack of energy, problems with concentration and often relationship conflict. How is S.A.D. diagnosed? Physicians and nurse practitioners and mental health providers can diagnose S.A. D. based on criteria developed by the American Psychiatric Association. Many people think they have S.A.D. but don’t go to a professional for a diagnosis. You don’t have to see a practitioner before you try light therapy. How Can S.A.D. be Treated? Research
shows that light therapy or exposure to full spectrum light is an effective treatment and is usually administered by using a light box. Light boxes are a set of fluorescent bulbs and tubes that are covered with a plastic screen that helps block out potentially harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. Depending on how severely a person is affected, other treatments are helpful in combination with light therapy including psychotherapy, dietary changes, regular exercise, and the use of antidepressant medications. USM Light Boxes: USM libraries in Portland, Gorham and Lewiston have light boxes that can be checked out at the front desk for use in the library while you study. These light boxes come with directions and are easy to use. Light boxes can also be purchased at Walgreens and Target for about $50. How Does One Use Light Therapy? Intensity: you need to use a light with the right intensity. These light boxes produce between 2,500 and 10,000 lux (lux is a measure of the amount of light you receive at a specific distance from a light source). Typical therapy is at 10,000 lux. The light in the average living room is less than 100 lux, while a bright sunny day may register 100,000 lux. You sit in front of the light box ( about 23 inches away is opti-
Seasonal affective disorder and light therapy
Light boxes in USM libraries Liza Little, Psy.D Director of Counseling Services mal) with your eyes open. ‘the light box sits at eye level on an angle to provide the most comfort and decrease glare. Reading at a desk with a light box on or just sitting in a chair facing the light box is all that is needed. It is not recommended to stare at the light. Duration: Therapy usually involves daily sessions ranging from 15-20 minutes to one hour; most sessions last about 20-30 minutes. When starting treatment starts, it is suggested you start with a smaller block of time and build your exposure over time. Timing: For most people, light therapy is best used in the morning, after first waking up. The most effective combination of intensity, duration and timing varies from person to person, staff from the health and counseling can assist in guiding you in making appropriate adjustments. Risks of Light Therapy: Some people complain of eye strain, headache or nausea. Side effects usually go away on their own
within a few days of starting light therapy but you can also manage these effects by reducing treatment time, moving farther away from your light, or taking breaks during your session. Effectiveness of Light Therapy: Most studies show that about 75% of individuals who experience S.A.D. experience some improvement with light therapy. Most people see improvement after a couple of days to a few weeks. If a person doesn’t see improvement with a few weeks they should consult Health and Counseling for a follow up. University Health and Counseling Services: 156 Upton Hall, Gorham, 105 Payson Hall, Portland, Student Affairs, Lewiston Campus. Call 780-4050. Resources: Barr, B.C. (2000) Banishing blues of seasonal affective disorder. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. www. Mayoclinic.com
Boosting your overall health this fall Victoria Libby M.S.Ed, Psy.D. & Samantha Seebode Clinical Psychologist & GA for Suicide Prevention
If this transition into the school year is harder than you anticipated, you are not alone! Here are a few ideas that can improve both your mental and physical health. Consider trying at least one. You may be surprised at what a difference it makes!
Get Outdoors
It’s not too cold yet and the foliage is incredible right now. Being outside in nature for just a few minutes a day can be very helpful in reducing stress. Remind yourself to notice what parts look beautiful to you and why.
Boost Your Connections
There are clear health risks to feeling lonely and great benefit from feeling seen and having a sense of belonging. So make
ness, and Relationship Recharge. Call the office for schedule and details! Veterans Services, Sullivan Gym, a place for active service members & military veteran community to gather The Student Diversity Center offer safe spaces for intercultural students and the LGBTQ+ community, Commuter Student Association centered in Woodbury in Portland, etc. GCAB (Gorham Campus Activities Board); The Husky Hut of Lower Brooks in Gorham hosts events most weeknights and some weekends - check their schedule for more info!
connecting with other one of your priorities. Call a friend. These days it can feel really odd to pick up the phone and not just send a text or snapchat message to someone. However, those forms of communication don’t bring the same connected feeling as an “old school” phone call. Take yourself to on-campus event or find a student organization to be a part of Use the USM app to find campus events. The ROCC holds groups throughout the week and offers substance-free activities Move Your Body throughout the year; check their website Regular exercise improves both mental for a full schedule! and physical health. Find an exercise budCounseling Services is offering 5 student dy and commit to trying a class together or groups during the fall semester - Bold Ardoing a workout for at least 30 min. rivals (freshman support), Mindful Walking, Chill Skills (anxiety management & mindfulness), Self-Compassion & Happi-
Sleep
Everyone has their own sweet spot for the amount of sleep that helps them feel rested. Shoot for somewhere between 7 and 9 hours. Getting this amount provides the greatest health benefits
Exposure to Light
Maybe you are someone who feels more down in the colder months. You could have symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). It usually comes back up in the late fall and early winter and is more common in northern places like Maine. Consider the use of Light Therapy. At the Libraries in Portland, Gorham and Lewiston there are light boxes available just for this. The light boxes come with directions and are easy to use. For more information see Dr. Little’s article http://usmfreepress.org/2019/01/29/ working-on-wellness-seasonal-affectivedisorder-and-light-therapy/
24 OCTOBER 21, 2019 | THE FREE PRESS
Perspectives
Illustration courtesy of USM student artist Tristen Profenno
Perspectives Crossword
The solution to last issue’s crossword
THE FREE PRESS | OCTOBER 21, 2019 25
Sudoku Level of difficulty: Easy The object of a sudoku is to fill in the remaining squares so that every row, every column, and every 3 × 3 box contains each of the numbers from 1 to 9 exactly once.
Word Search Theme: 2019 Most Popular Halloween Costumes
Search for the list of words in the grid of letters. Grab a pen and circle each word as you find them.
Chucky Clown Descendants Dinosaur Eighties Fortnite Harley Quinn Mouse Pirate Princess Rabbit Spiderman
Stranger Things
Superhero Toy Story Unicorn Witch
Cryptogram Every letter in a cryptogram stands for another letter. Use the hint to crack the code.
KR SRZ PCHAV F NZS GCR’W GRUVHAN FP F WRKF MRZAPFHA HW UBFOOS TFOOBK F MHEEHTHFA? And here is your hint: M=F
Horoscopes
Aries (March 21 - April 19)
Leo (July 23 - August 22)
Sagittarius (November 22 - December 21)
Taurus (April 20 - May 20)
Virgo (August 23 - September 22)
Capricorn (December 22 - January 19)
Gemini (May 21 - June 20)
Libra (September 23 - October 22)
Aquarius (January 20 - February 18)
Scorpio (October 23 - November 21)
Pisces (February 19 - March 20)
Avoid the temptation of “I told you so” as what you expected comes to pass. People have to make their own mistakes. Frustration is strong as a cherished goal seems beyond your reach. But if you give yourself more time, you can achieve it. Today you’re every employer’s dream: careful, disciplined, thorough, with attention to detail and good business skills.
Cancer (June 21 - July 22)
News of expansion in the home arrives--a visit, plans to add on, a new child, pet, or other arrival.
A “too good to be true” offer comes your way. Don’t believe it!
Today’s a day for examining the structures and standard procedures where you work. Look for new approaches to get optimal results. Emotions are intense and a confrontation could occur. Be sure your facts are straight before making any accusations. Use humor to defuse the situation. Investigative instincts are strong today. Play CLUE, read Sherlock Holmes, explore the attic, do research, archeology in the yard, etc.
Listen to your intuition! You could have flashes--just a sense of knowing without knowing how you know.
Being practical and realistic can help you improve the financial situation. You needn’t slave away. Slow and steady works best.
You are sensitive to the ills of the world, seeing how it could be improved. Don’t get depressed; work for change. New alliances can bring money-making ideas into your life. Explore your possibilities.
Sports 26 OCTOBER 21, 2019 | THE FREE PRESS
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Women’s Soccer
Field Hockey
Men’s Ice Hockey
Men’s Soccer
@ Maine Maritime 6:30 p.m.
@ Fitchburg St. 7:00 p.m.
Women’s Volleyball
@ Stonehill 7:00 p.m.
@ Rhode Island College 1:00 p.m.
@ Bates 7:00 p.m.
Husky Hero of the Week: Lindsay Pych Get to know the two-sport athlete Connor Blake Staff Writer
they each have their own vibe. Ice hockey is more intense and Field Hockey is more cool and collected, so it is nice to have the different vibes,” said Pych. Deciding to be a two-sport athlete at any school is not an easy decision to make, that being said, the welcoming environment of the athletic department is what sealed the deal for Pych to want to continue athletics in college. “The vibe of the athletic department, and how welcoming every is really made me want to play here,” said Pych. Being a two-sport college athlete can be very demanding in various ways such as the time commitment, and the level of play. A typical day for Pych starts in the morning around 7 a.m where she finds herself at Costello Ice Arena for practice. After a quick shower and breakfast she is off to one or two classes. After class she comes back for field hockey practice around 3-5 p.m. Lastly, she heads off to dinner, and then finishes the night with homework. Regardless of the challenges of time, Pych still finds time for herself in other ways through babysitting, working for the Costello Sports Center and coaching USA Youth Ice Hockey, “If I could give one piece of advice to someone, it would be to always use your free time wisely to get ahead in school work,” said Pych.
While Pych spends a lot of time practicing, she also spends a majority of her time in the classroom as well. Her hard work has paid off, being honored with the William B. Wise Scholar Athlete award, “Having great coaches have helped me come out of my shell, and both coaches have been great at time management to allow me to succeed in both sports as well as academically,” said Pych. Only a sophomore, Pych has an eye for her future. Fueled by climate change and the effects it has on the world, she wants to go to law school and eventually become an environmental lawyer, “I’m unhappy with the way the government is handling climate change and I want to help change that,” said Pych. As the semester moves on, so does the sports seasons, and with Women’s Ice Hockey around the corner, Pych is looking forward to the new season. Last year she was the backup goalkeeper for the Women’s Ice Hockey team and is looking to improve this season and do everything she can to help the team succeed, “Last year I didn’t play much but, I’m always looking to improve and help the team,” said Pych. The Women’s Ice Hockey team is looking to improve from last year which they finished with a 9-11-6 record. The season will open on Friday, November 1st at Home at 4:00pm against the University of New England.
Lindsay Pych, sophomore goalkeeper on the Women’s Field Hockey and Ice Hockey team majoring in environmental policy & planning from West Milford, New Jersey is shutting out the competition with her stellar goalkeeping ability. Through 15 games this year, Pych leads the conference with a save percentage of 81% with 5 of the games being shutouts. Her efforts in the net brought her first Little East Conference (LEC) Goalkeeper of the Week Award for the week of October 7th, 2019. During that week Pych lead the Huskies to a pair of LEC wins with a 2-0 victory at home against Salem State and a 4-1 road win against Bridgewater State. Pych, has always been involved in many sports, being a three-sport athlete at Morristown-Beard High School in Morristown, New Jersey. While there, she was a member of the field hockey, ice hockey, and lacrosse teams. She was a fouryear member of the varsity ice hockey team, and earned first team all honors in ice hockey as a senior. During the same senior year she also earned all-county and all-conference honorable mention honors in field hockey. Pych started playing ice hockey growing up and discovered field hockey her freshman year of high school. During her junior season they needed a goalie for both teams, and has played both sports ever since, “I love both the sports because Pych and teammates prepare to defend a corner.
Know an athlete who’s story should be told? Nominate them for athlete of the week! Contact cullen.mcintyre@maine.edu with their name and sport!
Cullen McIntyre / Sports Editor
THE FREE PRESS | OCTOBER 21, 2019 27
Knockout the stigma educates students on mental health Campus groups collaborate to celebrate world mental health day Cullen McIntyre Sports Editor The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) in partnership with University Health Services, USM Veteran Services, and the Recovery Oriented Campus Center (ROCC) hosted Knockout the Stigma on World Mental Health Day on October 10, 2019. The event included speeches by junior Women’s Soccer athlete and social work major Megan Chase, ROCC senior peer Elliot Day, and Dr. Erin Hatch of University Health Services. Following the speeches was a game of knockout for the students who attended the event. Kicking things off with an introduction from SAAC advisor and Women’s Basketball Coach Samantha Allen, who then introduced Chase to speak. The speech included a compelling story about her close friend that had committed suicide, and her struggles with mental health as a student-athlete. She also touched upon the importance of checking in and being there for others, “The way that we can treat others, and the way that we can recognize that stuff and really break the stigma of checking in and talking about our feeling, as well as letting people know it’s okay to not be okay,” she said. Chase also spoke to the importance of being able to speak about such an important topic in front of her peers, “It is so important to me. I’ve been thinking about
this since the event last year when I heard Johnny Kyte (senior hospitality major on the Men’s Ice Hockey team) give a speech. He had a really powerful speech and I’ve just wanted to share my experiences ever since,” she said. The stories of her friends that she lost struck a cord with the students in attendance, as silence fell over the gym. Chase’s ability to stand in front of her peers and tell her story hoped to give her peers the same power: “I think it’s important to be able to talk openly about that kind of stuff in front of a group because if you can’t talk about it, then you can’t talk about your own feelings. Showing people I’m vulnerable, I’m up there, I can talk about this, is pretty important because they can see that if I can do it they can do it too” she said. Day’s speech followed, speaking about his own experiences with mental health and breaking the stigma. He spoke about the importance of the event and being able to speak, “I think it’s important for the ROCC to put on the Knockout the Stigma event. I like to speak about these things from my experiences. Attending a different university, as a person in recovery, and feeling pretty uncomfortable being able to talk about the struggles I had. At least a piece of that had to do with the stigma that I, and I think a lot of people had, surrounding it,” he said. The ROCC in collaboration with each organization hoped to show students that they can speak about their experiences.
Day spoke about the importance of holding the event, “I think that having an event like this and as much awareness towards the stigma because one of the things it does is that it brings awareness to the impact stigma has on people that might be suffering from mental illness or addictions. It also places the university as a safer space where people feel like they might not be facing those stigmas.” The event brought awareness to students by giving them firsthand experience through their peers speaking, as well as hearing from officials like coach Allen and Dr. Hatch. Suicide is one of the leading causes of death among college students in America, and the university hopes to continue to fight against that with events such as Knockout the Stigma. Past events have included Spike the Stigma, and Kick the Stigma, volleyball and kickball games that also included speeches by student-athletes that shared their stories of mental health. The SAAC has made an effort to bring awareness to the stigma
on mental health: “Our goal as USM’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee is to facilitate educational opportunities for students about the resources available on campus and in the surrounding communities with a fun activity,” said Allen. “It’s time that we break the stigma of mental health, and embrace the power of positive messaging in how we think, speak, and act.” The event opened up students to the idea that they can speak about mental health, and pushed to break the stigma surrounding it. The SAAC, along with the ROCC, University Health Services, and USM Veteran Services were on site to provide resources where students could continue to break the stigma. Knockout, as Allen explained, is a friendly adrenaline boosting game amongst peers. The first player in line shoots and tries to make a basket before the person behind them makes their shot. The game brought students together to compete in a healthy way, showing support for each other whether they won or they lost.
Where Huskies Bank #WhereHuskiesBank
Try our Video Teller in Lower Brooks! Video Teller hours M-F 8am-5pm ATM hours Anytime the Brooks Student Center is open
UCU members can video chat with a teller during video teller hours to complete a number of transactions! Outside of video teller hours, members can deposit cash and checks into their accounts, and withdraw funds!
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Join UCU online! Cullen McIntyre / Sports Editor Students participating in Knockout the Stigma pose for a group photo.
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